Swimmers compete at district meet

Brooke Robillard and Hawley Harrer both turned in tremendous performances at the district swim meet held in Albany last weekend, Friday and Saturday, February 12-13. The dynamic duo led the Outlaws girls team to a sixth-place finish.

Robillard broke the 100-yard breaststroke record that hadn't been touched since Sisters first had a swim team over 18 years ago. Brooke crushed the rest of the competition in her heat. Three girls came into the finals with just hundredths of seconds separating them, and Brooke pulled ahead for an outstanding finish. Her time of 1:13.02 set a new school record, and she will head into state competition seeded sixth.

Brooke also competed in the 100-yard freestyle. She entered with a time of 58.27 and finished third with a time of 58.24. She will go into state seated eighth in the 100-Free.

Harrer came close to setting new school records in the 50-yard freestyle and the 100-yard freestyle, and according to Coach Brittany Morioka, it is not unrealistic to think she could break the 50 freestyle at state, and the 100 freestyle at the beginning of the season next year.

Hawley came into the finals in the 50-yard freestyle seeded first, with a 25.83, and came out second overall, right behind Kendra Sheeder of Philomath with a time of 25.82. Harrer will go into state seated eighth.

In the 100-yard freestyle, Hawley entered with a 58.16, and ended with a 58.89 for a fourth-place overall finish. She will go into state seeded 10th.

Morioka told The Nugget that both Robillard and Harrer have the potential for a much faster race in the 100 freestyle.

The girls 200-yard freestyle relay earned a fourth-place finish with a season-best time of 1:52.02. Robillard, Harrer, Tara Greaney, and Madelyn Zadow came in seeded fourth and finished fourth, which earned them a spot as the 12th seed at state. Harrer swam an outstanding relay leg with a time of 24.41.

Zadow swam to a ninth-place finish in the girls 100-yard backstroke with a time of 1:12.05.

On the boys side, Will Werts made it into the consolation finals with a time of 1:17.60 in the 100-yard butterfly. Werts finished 10th overall with a slight drop at 1:17.34.

The boys 200-yard freestyle relay earned an 11th-place finish overall with a time of 1:53.81. It was a season-best time for Cody Martin, Patrick Krevi, Jackson Rheuben, and Will Werts.

The biggest surprise of the weekend was David Keeton's performance in the boys 100-yard backstroke. Keeton is a first-time swimmer, who acknowledges he is participating in the sport to get in shape, since he's enlisted in the Marines. David made it to the consolation finals and finished 11th overall with a time of 1:24.43.

"He has worked extremely hard, but swimming definitely has not come easy to him," said Morioka. "We were all wowed when he made it into the consolation finals."

Morioka commented on the girls' great effort:

"With 11 teams overall, our girls team placed sixth, which is outstanding considering we have only four girls this year. Many other teams have 20-plus, and we are still able to hold our own."

The state championships will be held Friday and Saturday, February 19-20, at Mt. Hood Community College.